Land Trust or Preserve Managers

Any experience one can obtain in the field of land management—such as an internship, volunteering, or a part-time job—will be useful for aspiring land trust or preserve managers.

To be successful in this field, you must be hard working and dedicated to the field of land conservation. You must also be able to multitask, juggling several responsibilities in a reasonably organized fashion and have knowledge of land conservation options and techniques. Because you may be required to participate in fund-raising, loyalty to the organization, good people skills, the ability to speak and write clearly, and a good sense of humor are important assets to have in conservation.

Because land trusts tend to be entrepreneurial, you will also need to be skilled in business administration, finance, and law—especially if your duties involve running the financial end of the trust, raising funds, negotiating deals, and handling tax matters.